1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus which uses a user installable process cartridge by employing an improved guiding mechanism, and a method of arranging the process cartridge and to the process cartridge itself.
2. Discussion of the Background
Some background color image forming apparatuses use a plurality of process cartridges detachably mountable therein for forming toner images to be superimposed one after another into a full-color image.
Such background color image forming apparatuses are commonly known as electrophotographic copying machines, printing machines, facsimile apparatuses, and multifunctional apparatuses having at least two functions of copying, printing and facsimile functions. An example of the background color image forming apparatuses is described in a reference of Japanese laid-open patent application No. 2002-6679. This background color image forming apparatus uses a process cartridge in which an image bearing member and an image forming mechanism, or at least a portion of the image forming mechanism, are integrally mounted. The process cartridge is removably arranged inside the image forming apparatus, allowing the image bearing member and the image forming mechanism to be checked, repaired and replaced.
Further, in one of these background color image forming apparatuses, a plurality of such process cartridges are arranged serially along an angled plane relative to a horizontal plane.
The background image forming apparatus has a structure in which a slide rail provided to the process cartridge is arranged slidable along a guide rail provided to the image forming apparatus to allow the process cartridge to be removed or inserted.
However, in the background color image forming apparatus using a guiding device that includes such a guide rail and a slide rail, the slide rail needs to be properly engaged with the guide rail such that each process cartridge is installed in the image forming apparatus with a fine positioning. This installation of the process cartridge is difficult for an inexperienced person or a user. Further, the user may be embarrassed because it is difficult for him or her to instantly find a location of the guide rail in the image forming apparatus.